Through a Briar patch naked walking backwards,, too..
Who would you pick as the next HC?
- Thread starter Anony Moose
- Start date
No big name coaches will come here. Pitino was not that big when he came here.
I’m really starting to get intrigued by Josh Schertz. If he starts getting post season results at St. Louis, you gotta start considering putting him on the shortlist.
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Seriously though, we whiffed on everyone when Cal left. Now the new coach is getting crucified. Who is realistically going to come here when they are already happy where they are? Not saying Pope will make it here, but dreams of a big name hire are just that. Dreams
I think Otzelberger could be good too given what he's done at Iowa State. I looked over his coaching history and see he started at South Dakota State then moved to UNLV after a good run there. Then, looks like he had a few very mediocre years at UNLV before he went to Iowa State. I wonder what the draw was for Iowa State after he didn't do much at UNLV. Either way, he's turned out to be a really good coach.
I think the big names everyone is aware of. At least those who listen to KSR. Point being we whiffed on them. UK is not touching anyone with a checkered past either. You can grab someone with potential, but that is not what I consider a big name.
So you can’t name them, simply make a claim without facts.
Only three names publicly turned down Kentucky: Drew, Hurley and Oats.
Correct. How many others do you think UK would go for that are "big name", win-right-away coaches that do not have issue in their past?
Why didn’t Ketucky go after Lloyd, Ozelberger, Mays to name a few. There’s at least a dozen coaches I’d call before giving the job to someone with as little success as Pope. I’d even consider a number of 2nd Division guys before Pope.
The complete and utter ineptitude of Mitch Barnhart’s coaching search should be a warning to all ADs to not take the easy way out.
There's only one realistic answer and it's Nate oats. He's the only one who would say yes and he would be like cal anyone who criticized him before would love him once he was on their side
Pearl isn't gonna coach his third sec team at this point no chance
Pearl isn't gonna coach his third sec team at this point no chance
Again, I don’t consider any of those to be big name. Do they have potential? Sure. And assuming Pope doesnt turn it around we will go after those types. We will be LSU football going through coaches until we get one that works. Hopefully we don't have to go through a bunch, but we will see. This fanbase has zero patience because of the F4 drought.
Yep. He would be my last choice, but maybe he's figured something out in the NIL era. Who knows?
I think I already asked this, a few days ago. You and Ritchie said we could get anyone. I thought that settled it? Just go get Brad Stevens or whomever you think is the absolute best. Because they can't say no, right?
Huh? His politics? Why not? Cal was openly liberal and people didn’t care as long as he won enough. When he stopped winning enough as when they started calling out his politics.
Doesn’t matter. If the incompetent Quaker is doing the hiring, it won’t anybody you want. Shoujd have just hired Travis Ford. He’s a cocky mfer who fits the job better.
If he wants to return to CBB, why not inquire?
You act like there is a problem with that. Lulz.
That’s just not the case. Only person offered and refused was Drew. 2nd offer accepted.
UK could have had a number of coaches.
There was no search and no interviews.
If Pearl misses coaching then most definite. Look at Auburn when he was there and now when he is not.
We for the most part are UK fans for life. However, we are not the largest stone in the crown anymore. A handful of teams have risen to our equal or above us. This is a tough place to coach, we as a fan base demand our team and coach to be in the top talk every year. Most coaches don't publicly admit they don't want or need that pressure. I would estimate if you called the top 10 coaches in college basketball and offered this job, over half wouldn't even take the phone call. Sadly, we are not the shiny object we were for years. jmo
There is a lot of truth in what you say.
Weighing plus and minus factors makes you think.
Bruce does not make sense now or ever. He is a snake oil salesman. We will have a decent coach only after we get a new AD. Barnhart is not capable of hiring a basketball coach. The reason I make that statement is because a decent to great coach would never agree to work for an incompetent AD like Barnhart. I say we ride with what we have until our University opens their eyes and either retires or fires Barnhart.
He was at FAU. And made a final four. You can't be this bad at this.
Just coaching the New York Knicks. LOL
May gotta do more he had a fluke final four at FAU win a title or get two final fours at Michigan and then he’ll have proven himself as a coach .
Obviously Pope is getting a third year. Part of me says what’s the point, just ripped the Band-Aid off now. The other side of me says. Even though I don’t think Pope is the right coach. If you fire him now. Every coach you talk to might be hesitant because they think they only have two years to get it right or they’re out. I don’t think that’s a very good precedence to set.
If I had to pick someone next year. I’m really watching Jai Lucas. He has Miami doing pretty well this year. I’d like to see how he does in the tournament and see how he does next year. He’s already signed some pretty good recruits for next year at Miami. If he has a good two year run there at Miami. He’s young, relatable, seems to understand this new college system. He would definitely be one of my top candidates.
If I had to pick someone next year. I’m really watching Jai Lucas. He has Miami doing pretty well this year. I’d like to see how he does in the tournament and see how he does next year. He’s already signed some pretty good recruits for next year at Miami. If he has a good two year run there at Miami. He’s young, relatable, seems to understand this new college system. He would definitely be one of my top candidates.
You people got it all wrong none of them “played here “
We gotta try rondo
Tony delk
Jamal Mashburn
Jeff shepherd
Tayshaun prince
Patrick sparks
Chuck Hayes
Keith Bogans
Jodie Meeks
We gotta try rondo
Tony delk
Jamal Mashburn
Jeff shepherd
Tayshaun prince
Patrick sparks
Chuck Hayes
Keith Bogans
Jodie Meeks
Lol, 2 years to prove yourself isn't enough? What is lined up for next year that lends any credence to the fact it will be better?
How many employers give their employees 2 years to prove themselves?
Lucas is an interesting one to watch, but would he be interested in coming back to KY. He seems to jump at the first opportunity out of here a while back.
Roughly 10% of NCAA Division I men's basketball head coaches are employed by their alma mater, meaning they played at the school they currently coach. While about 54% of all DI head coaches played at the Division I level overall, only a smaller, specific subset are currently coaching at the school where they previously played.
Key Findings:
Alma Mater Coaches: Approximately 1 in 10 coaches are leading their alma mater, ranging from new hires to established veterans.
Playing Experience: Roughly 54% of all current Division I head coaches played at the Division I level during their college careers, with about 22% having professional experience.
Examples: Notable coaches in this category often include former stars returning to lead their programs, though the specific number changes
With roughly 362+ Division I programs, this equates to roughly 35-40 coaches, though the exact, up-to-date figure fluctuates.
Several top-tier NCAA Division I basketball coaches have achieved significant success returning to their alma maters, led by modern staples like Matt Painter (Purdue) and former standout Bob Huggins (West Virginia). Other notable examples include Chris Mack (Xavier) and Jamie Dixon (TCU), who translated their playing experiences into high-level coaching success at the schools where they played.
Here are some of the most successful DI basketball coaches at their alma maters:
- Matt Painter (Purdue): A 1993 Purdue graduate, Painter has led the Boilermakers to multiple Big Ten titles, establishing them as a perennial national contender over his 19+ year tenure.
- Bob Huggins (West Virginia): A 1977 WVU graduate, he returned to lead his alma mater to the 2010 Final Four and over 200 wins.
- Jamie Dixon (TCU): A 1987 TCU graduate, he has led the Horned Frogs to consistent 20-win seasons and multiple NCAA Tournament appearances.
- Chris Mack (Xavier): A former Xavier team captain and 1992 graduate, he led the Musketeers to four Sweet 16 appearances, the most in school history.
- Fred Hoiberg (Iowa State): While he also had a prominent NBA career, the "Mayor" returned to his alma mater (1995 grad) and immediately rejuvenated the program, producing high-win seasons.
- Marty Simmons (Evansville): Although he began at Indiana, he finished his playing career at Evansville and later became a successful head coach there.
These coaches often leverage their deep connection to the institution for recruiting and building a culture that resonates with the fan base.
Please no "up and comers" with zero advanced tournament on their resume nor elite recruitment experience.
And none of those coaches you mentioned are at Kentucky and they all have different standards. Purdue got lucky with painter he still hasn’t won a title multiple times embarrassing tournament losses . Very few coaches have what it takes to coach at Kentucky and BoB Huggins was at West Virginia FOREVER and never won hardly anything . Pope had no business being hired here he had no tournament wins never would that happen at Kansas, Duke , UConn or UNC his boss is a idiot and the only reason he got the job is because he played there PERIOD
No problem at all! The exact opposite. I'm tickled shitless to know our clout will let us go get anyone we want. That should extend to the assistant ranks. Maybe an assistant staff of Dan Hurley, Billy Donovan, Rick Pitino. Whomever the other folks were clamoring over. Nate Oates and Pearl? That might do.
Bruce Pearl has become active politically on social media and elsewhere. And he's clearly a conservative. UK leadership is way too liberal to ever consider him now, if they ever would have. He's way too toxic now.
Brian Dutcher made the same Final Four, actually won a game and his team played for the national championship. He also has a much higher winning percentage than May.
By that logic, Kentucky should hire him.
May is still unproven and does not have a history of winning at an elite percentage rate.